Since its initial launch in 2017, ICON Interactive’s immersive “Performance Lab” experience continues to drive value for their client Genesis. Adapted for deployment at various events along the PGA Tour, the Lab merges the tradition of golf with the latest in sport tracking and mobile app technology to help Genesis discover potential customers among tournament guests and instill in participants an emotional connection with the brand and its luxury automobiles.

BUILDING BRAND AWARENESS

The first iteration of the Genesis Performance Lab saw its launch at the Streamsong Resort, where Genesis hosted its Genesis Invitational. It was a high-profile event—the culmination of a series of smaller golf tournaments—so the client team sought a striking experience that would be capable of appealing to an upscale, golf-minded audience. The project’s main objectives were twofold: to build awareness of the Genesis brand, and to create relevancy for guests to physically get in and experience a Genesis G90 car.

The original Genesis Performance Lab was comprised of a user pathway designed to personalize the experience for each participant, treating them as VIPs at every touchpoint. First, guests teed off in a special practice area, where a TrackMan launch monitor analyzed the metrics of their swings. Then, escorted by a PGA professional who would offer advice and insight, guests sat inside a Genesis G90 car to watch a cinematic recap of their swing statistics projected onto the windshield.

BRINGING THE GENESIS PERFORMANCE LAB TO LIFE

The ICON team delivered a fleet of solutions:

A cinematic recap of guests’ individual TrackMan statistics, projection mapped onto the windshield of a Genesis G90 which included custom animations and soundtrack.

A custom event landing page.

A series of tablet applications to drive the overall experience—from registering guests to controlling the recap animations.

A comprehensive software platform, developed in collaboration with TrackMan Golf, to utilize the statistics gathered via the TrackMan monitor.

A post-event email thanking guests and directing them to the GPL landing page to view and/or share their personal statistics.

In the two years since its initial launch, the Genesis Performance Lab has seen some changes to its original formula as it is adapted for deployment at various Genesis-sponsored golf events. For example, while the version at the Genesis Invitational was designed as a big draw to get people inside of the G90, later iterations have forgone the “car theater” entirely to focus more on tracking attendance and gauging guests’ interest in the Genesis brand. The Lab provides an excellent way for the client team to discover potential customers among tournament participants.

Even without the G90 component, however, the Performance Lab still delivers a VIP experience custom tailored to each guest. Instead of viewing the TrackMan statistics in a cinematic recap presentation, folks seeking to improve their technique receive their statistics and a special, slow motion video of their golf swings in an email after the event.

THE RESULTS

At the 2017 Genesis Invitational, a total of 89 pre-registered and walk-on guests took part in the Performance Lab. The post-event email campaign also saw an open rate of 91% compared to the benchmark industry standard of 17.8% 1.

The most recent iteration of the Performance Lab, deployed at the 2019 Farmers Insurance Open, received an even higher turnout than years previous. One guest every three minutes participated in the experience, with an average of 300-450 guests taking part each day of the event. Saturday was the most active day for the Lab, with 1,200 guests engaging with the Genesis brand while learning the precise details of their individual golf swing skills. During the five days of the Farmers Insurance Open, 10% of all Performance Lab participants expressed interest in learning more about Genesis and its products.

Every iteration of the Genesis Performance Lab has seen tremendous results and has driven engagement with the Genesis brand in a way that is truly one-of-a-kind.